Barrette



April 22, 1952 N. L. SOLOMON ET AL 2,594,230

BARRETTE Filed NOV. 26, 1948 5S mm llll BY Wf/MM I Patented Apr. 22, 1952 BARRETTE Nathan L. Solomon, Englewood, and Irving W.

Schaef, Jr., Norwood, N. J.; said Schaef assignor to said Solomon i Application November 26, 1948, Serial No. 62,152

This invention relates to a novel hair retaining means such as a barrette.

rIhe invention has among its objects the provision of a novel barrette characterized by its simplicity of manufacture, its ease of application to the hair, and the positiveness of its gripping action on the hair. l

A further object of the invention, in preferred embodiments thereof, lies in the provision, in such barrette, of hair gripping means which is both functional and highly decorative.

These and further objects of the invention will be more readily apparent in the following description of preferred embodiments of the barrette of the invention.

In the drawing'appended hereto and forming a part of the specication:

Fig. 1 is a View in vertical longitudinal axial section of the first described lembodiment of the barrette;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the barrette of Fig. l in its operative, hair gripping, position;

Fig. 3 is a view in bottom plan of the barrette of Fig. l;

Fig. e is a View in vertical transverse section through the barrette of Fig. 1 in operative position, the section being taken along line 4 4, in Fig. 2;

Fig'. 5 is a View in bottom plan of a second embodiment of the barrette of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a view mainly in bottom plan. but partly in section, of the barrette of Fig. in operative,`hair gripping position;

Fig. 7 is a view in vertical transverse section through the barrette of the second embodiment, the section being taken along line 'I--l in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of a third embodiment of the barrette;

Fig. 9 is a'view in plan of the decorative hair gripping insert employed in the barrette of Fig'. 8 ;A

` Fig. 10 is'aview inf side elevation of such insert;`

Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary view in side elevation of the barrette of Fig. 8 in the vicinity o f the' pivotal connection between-body of the barrette andthe locking bar;

fFig. 12 is an enlarged view in en d elevation of Vthe barrette of Fig.` 8, the view being taken from the line I2-I2 in Fig. 8; i

"Figl 13 is an enlarged fragmentary view in side elevation `ofthe barrette of the invention in its rs't'embodiment, the view being taken in the vicinityof the locking bar latch; and

",Fig. 14 is a fragmentary View, partially in section and partially in end elevation. of the barsembly of the parts.

rette of the invention in the embodiment thereof shown in Fig. 5, the Vview being taken in the vicinity of the pivotal connection between the body of the barrette and the locking bar, the latter being shown in a position it assumes during as- As above explained, Figures l, 2, 3, and 4 show a rst embodiment of the barrette of the invention, Figures 5, 6, and 7 show a second embodiment thereof, and Figures 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 show a third embodiment of a barrette made in accordancewith the invention. Figures 13 and 14 illustrate features and procedures common to all the described embodiments. In all three described embodiments the. barrette is preferably made wholly of molded plastic material, the body being made of one or, at the most, two parts and the locking bar being madeof one part, no metal being incorporated in the barrette. The barrette' is characterized by its simplicity of manufacture,

v its pleasing ornamental appearance, and by the positiveness with which the lockof hair is gripped, the ornamentation in the first two described embodiments cooperating with the locking member to aid in the gripping of the hair.

In the firstV described embodiment of the barrette, designated generally by the reference character 2.' the main :body 4 is made of clear, transparent material, preferably resilient, of which cellulose acetate and polystyrene are typical. Body 4 is bowed in the direction of its -length and has pivotally attached thereto at one end an elongated, similarly bowed, locking bar 6. The pivotal connection, which is generally designated 8, is provided by the lug I2 integrally attached to the main body, such lug having a passage therein receiving the confronting lugs I4 formed integrally with the locking bar 6. The end of the locking bar Yrearwardly of the pivotal connection is provided with the l*projections I5 which coopcrate with the undersurface of the main body to prevent swinging of the locking bar in its open position past a desired angularity.

The forward endof the locking bar is provided with a latching means generally denoted Ill, such latching means consisting of the latch Vmember I8 on the locking bar which cooperates with the downwardly projecting detent I6 on the main body. The locking bar 6 is sufliciently resilient so that it bows slightly when being pressed to ward'the main body to allow member I8 to snap into the recess in the detent, as shown. The locking bar is provided with two longitudinally extending side bars 22 and with a curved trans` verse strut member 24. The main body 4 is prolocking bar is then secured by the latch I0, as

shown, whereby the barrette is securely positioned on the lock of hair. The gripping, of

the hair takes place between the longitudinal side surfaces 26 which border the recess on the inner, locking member confronting, surface of ther body 4 and the bars 22 on the locking bar. is further gripped by reason of its diversion iriwardly into the recess in the main body 4, where a portion of it engages the markedly irregular surface 20, thereby additionally frictionally retarding the hair so gripped from motion relative tothe barrette.

The ornament on the surface is visible from the outside of the barrette at the upper side of body 4 thereof by light transmitted through the main body 4, which is transparent. Although the ornament may consist solely of impressions in the clear material of the body, it is preferred that the ornamentation be emphasized as by providing the ornament with a light-reflecting coating of distinctive color. This may be done by painting all or selected portions of the ornament surface 20 with a paint having such properties.

The embodiment of the barrette shown in Figures 5, 6, and 7, and generally designated 30, differs from that above described by the design of the locking bar. Since the main body of the barrette in this embodiment isv identical with that rst described, such main body and its parts are designated by the same reference characters as those employed in Figures 1 and 2` The pivotal connection, made up of hollow lug I2 and confronting lugs I4', between the body and the locking bar 32, in this instance, is4 designated 8', and the latching means, made lup. of detent I6 and latch member I8', is generally designated I0. The locking bar 32 provided. with 4a transverse strut 36 and with two longitudinal, parallel side bars 34, the side bars lying inwardly of the recess defining marginal surfaces 26 of theV main body, VA lock of hair, designated 38 in this instance, is retained largely "by its.v

ilection of the hair, inconjunction with its engagement by the roughened or irregular orna- Ymented surface 28 in the recess in the main body,

effectively retains the barrette against movement longitudinally of the lock of hair gripped thereby. l 4

A particularly distinctive barrette, designated 40, is provided in the third embodiment, shown in Figures Seto 12, inclusive. The main body 42 of such barrette has, on the surface thereof which confronts the locking bar 44, a longitudinally extending recess, the bottomL surface 52 of which isA provided with an ornament in intaglio. VSnugly received and retained in such recess is an insert member 54 which may, ifV desired, be cemented in place. Such insert has an ornament 56 in relief on the surface thereof which confronts surface 52 of the recess, such ornament being complementary to that provided in intaglio on surface Y 52, so that the surfaces 52 and 56 lle intimately The haii* uit;

in contact. Insert 54 may be made of a clear plastic material, such as one of those indicated above, such insert having its surface 56 provided with a coating of a distinctive light-reflecting colored material. Preferably, however, thevvhole of the insert 54 is made of suitably colored or tinted plastic.

' The above described third embodiment provides a barrette which is particularly striking in appearance since the ornamentation on surfaces .52 and 56 may plainly be seen through the transparent main body of the barrette as it is illuminated by thetransmission of light through the j insert 54 and body 42.

The'barrette shown in Figures 8 to 12, inclusive, exceptfor the matter of ornamentation, is Asimi- ",la'r to those previously described. The locking bar has alatch member 45 similar to members I8 and I8 of the previously described embodiments, is attached to the main body at the pivotal connection 46 in the same manner, and 'it is also latched at the detent 50 in the same way. Swinging of the locking member past a desired angularity in its open position is prohibited by the rearwardly extending ears 48. v

Because the locking member is preferably made of resilient plastic material it may be molded separately from the main body of the,l barrette and assembled thereon later, A step infsuc'h assembly is shown in Figure 14, Where the arms 58 of the locking bar 32 extending'rearwardly of the transverse strut 36 in the embodiment of Figure 5 are shown being ilexed apart a distance lsuicient to allow the insertion of the hollow lug I2 on the main body of the barrette between the projecting lugs I4 on the locking bar, 'v The arms 58 are then pressed together; they will remain in such position thereafter to form als'ecure pivotal connection between the parts l2 and i4.

Whereas we have described preferred embodiments of the barrette of our invention, itfis-to be understood that such embodiments are illustrative only and that the invention is capable of considerable variation as to details. The invention .is therefore defined by the scope of the appended claims'. L

We claim as new the following:

l. A barrette comprising an elongatedmain body,` an elongated locking member, means toi secure together the body and member generally parallel to each other with a lock of hair gripped therebetween, the locking member confronting surface of the body having a longitudinally ex-Y tending recess therein,v the bottom surfacel'of the recess vbeing in the-shape of an ornament in intaglio, such bottom surface, by reason of -such ornament,being markedly irregular, whereby the portion of the gripped lock of hair which is .v diverted toward the main body by the locking member is frictionally engaged. bythe bottom surface of the recess.

2. A barrette comprising 'an elongated main body made of transparent material,l an elongated locking member, means to secure together the body and member generally parallelv to eachother with a lock of hair gripped therebetweem the inner, locking member confrontingsurface of the body having a longitudinally extending recess therein,the bottom surface of the recess being in the shape of an ornament in intaglio, suchjbottom surface, by reason` of such ornament,v being markedly irregular, whereby the portion of the gripped lock of hair which is diverted toward the mainbody by the loekingmember isfrictionally engaged by the bottom surface of the recess, the

ornament being visible from the outer surface of said body by the transmission of light through the body.

3. A barrette comprising an elongated main bodymade of transparent material, an elongated locking member, means to secure together the body and member generally parallel to each other with a lock of hair gripped therebetween, the inner, locking member confronting, surface of the body having a longitudinally extending recess therein, the bottom surface of the recess being in the shape of an ornament in intaglio, means in close contact with the surface of the ornament and conforming to its contours forming a distinctively colored reflecting surface, the,

ornament being visible from the outer surface of said body by the transmission of light through the body.

4. A barrette comprising an elongated main body made of transparent material, an elongated locking member, means pivotally connecting the body and member substantially at one end of each, and means to latch the body and member together substantially at their other ends to secure the locking member generally parallel to the body with a lock of hair gripped therebetween, the inner, locking member confronting, surface of the body having a longitudinally extending recess therein, the bottom surface of the recess being in the shape of an ornament in intaglio, such bottom surface, by reason of such ornament, being markedly irregular, whereby the portion of the gripped lock of hair which is diverted toward the main body by the locking member is frictionally engaged by the bottom surface of the recess, a distinctively colored coating on the surface of the ornament forming a refleeting surface, the ornament being visible from the outer surface of said body by the transmission of light through the body.

5. A barrette comprising an elongated main body made of clear, transparent material, an elongated locking member, means pivotally connecting the body and member substantially at one end of each, and means to latch the body and member together substantially at their other ends to secure the locking member generally parallel to the body with a lock of hair gripped therebetween, the inner, locking member confronting, surface of the body having a longitudinally extending recess therein, the bottom surface of the recess being in the shape of an ornament in intaglio, such bottom surface, by reason of such ornament, being markedly irregular, whereby the portion of the gripped lock of hair which is diverted toward the main body by the locking member is frictionally engaged by the bottom surface of the recess, means in close contact with the surface of the ornament and conforming to its contours forming a distinctively colored reilecting surface, the ornament being visible from the outer surface of said body by the transmission of light through the body, the body having side edges thereon alongside the recess, the locking member having longitudinal bars therein which are generally parallel to the said side edges of the inner surface of the main body, whereby the locking member and body grip a lock of hair between the side edges of the inner surface of the body and the longitudinal bars of the locking member.

6. A barrette comprising an elongated main body made of clear, transparent material, an elongated locking member, means to secure together the body and member generally parallel to each other with a lock of hair gripped therebetween, the inner, locking member confronting, surface of the body having a longitudinally extending recess therein, the bottom surface of the recess being in the shape of an ornament in intaglio, a snugly fitting insert positioned in the recess in the body, such insert having its upper surface in the shape of an ornament in relief and complementary to that of the bottom recess surface, at least the upper ornamented surface of the insert being distinctively colored, the ornament being visible from the outer surface ofsaid body by the transmission of light through the body. Y

7. A barrette comprising an elongated main body made of clear, transparent plastic material, an elongated locking member, means pivotally connecting the body and member substantially at one end of each, and means to latch the body and member together substantially at their other ends to secure the locking member generally parallel to the body with a lock of hair gripped therebetween, the inner, locking member confronting, surface of the body having a longitudinally extending recess therein, the bottom surface of the recess being'in the shape of an ornament in intaglio, a snugly fitting insert positioned in the recess in the body, such insert having its upper surface in the shape of an ornament in relief and complementary to that of the bottom recess surface,` at least the upper ornamented surface of the insert being distinctively colored, the bottom surface of the insert being recessed below the side edges of the surface of the body alongside the recess, the locking member having longitudinal bars therein which are generally parallel to the said side edges of the inner surface of the mainbody, whereby the locking member and body grip a lock o f hair between the side edges of the inner surface ofthe body and the longitudinal bars of the locking member.

8. A barrette comprising an elongated main body made of resilient clear transparent plastic material, said main body being at least slightly bowed in the direction of its length, an elongated substantially similarly bowed locking member made of resilient plastic material, means pivotally connecting the body and member substantially at one end of each, and means to latch the body and member together substantially at their other ends to secure the locking member generally parallel to the body with a lock of hair gripped therebetween, the inner, locking member confronting, surface of the body having a longitudinally extending recess therein, the bottom surface of the recess being lin the shape of an ornament in intaglio, a snugly fitting insert positioned in the recess in the body, such insert having its upper surface in the shape of an ornament in relief and complementary to that of the bottom recess surface, the insert being made of distinctively colored material, the bottom surface of the insert being recessed below the side edges of the inner surface of the body alongside the recess, the locking member having longitudinal bars therein which are generally parallel to and overlie in confronting relation the said side edges of the inner surface of the main body, whereby the locking member and body grip a lock of hair between the side edges of the inner surface of the body and the longitudinal bars of the locking member.

9. A two piece barrette comprising a main body with a concave back, the main body having a pivot section and lock section integral therewith a transverse detent face on said lock section. a

resilient locking member having a convex face substantially paralleling the concave back of the main body a transverse face on the locking mem.

ber, and integral lugs Von said resilient locking Ylocking member is in a fully open position.

11. A'two piece barrette comprising a main body, said main body having a pivot section, and a lock section integral therewith, the lock section having a detent surface facing toward the pivot section, a locking member including at least two spaced bars, a pair of tie bars near the extremities of said spaced bars, and a .detent on one of said tie bars engaging said detent surface on the lock section of the main body.

12. A two piece barrette comprising a main body with a substantially concave back, an integral pivot section on said back, an integral lock section on said back with a detent facing said pivot section, and a resilient locking member connected to said pivot section, the locking member having a mating detent and a substantially con- Vex face adapted to force the mating detent against the lock section detent increasingly asincreased amounts of hair are clamped between the concave back and convex face.

13. A barrette for holding a swatch of hair comprising a substantially transparent body of plastic material with a concave combined plain and recessed back, a pivot section integral with said back, the back having a lock section integral therewith with a locking face thereon directed towardzthe pivot section, a resilient one piece locking member of plastic material with a convex face and a locking face mating with the locking face on the lock section and adapted to lock increasingly as the convex face is flattened, a pair of resilient longitudinal members in said locking member adapted to form and hold a bulge of said swatch of hair and to force some of said bulge of hair into the recessed back, and a pair of integral pivot sections on the resilient locking member for connection to said pivot section.

14. A two piece barrette comprising a main body of plastic material, locking means including a locking member of plastic material with two integral spaced apart main bars for substantially its entire length said locking member having an integral resilient tie-bar between said two spaced apart bars, and integral means on said body and said locking member pivotally connecting the main body and the locking member together.

15. A barrette comprising a main body, said main body having an integral pivot section and i an integral lock section, a locking member of plastic Vmaterial with an open end, integral coaxial lugs at the open end of said locking member adapted to snap into said pivot section of the main body and guide the locking member to the lock section, a detentv face on said integral lock section transverse the main body whereby the locking member grips the lock section increasingly as'increased amount of hair is placed between the barrette body and the locking member, and a mating detent face on said locking member and transverse thereto. v

NATHAN L. SOLOMON. IRVING w, SCHARF, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the Viile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

